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Is My Single-Family Home or Condo in San Francisco Exempt From Rent Control?
July 8th, 2023
Contributor: Justin A. Goodman
The short answer is: Maybe. Whether San Francisco single-family homes or condos are exempt from rent control is a highly nuanced area of California law. To explain the current state of the law, it makes the most sense to start at the beginning. Prior…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
The Slow End of the Eviction Moratoria in Alameda County: Now What?
May 29th, 2023
Contributor: Scott A. Freedman
After several extensions and several years, the eviction moratoria in Alameda County has now ended. The City of Oakland will phase its own moratoria out over the course of the next few months. The City of Berkeley will also phase out over the next se…
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San Francisco Rent Increase Licenses – Don’t Forget to Report!
January 23rd, 2023
Contributor: Lisa K. Padilla
Recently operative San Francisco Rent Ordinance section 37.15 requires owners to report certain information about their units to the Rent Board in order to obtain a license to impose annual and/or banked rent increases. This requirement applies to in…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
2710 Sutter Ventures, LLC v. Millis: Tough Fall for the Ellis Act
November 29th, 2022
Contributor: Justin A. Goodman
The Ellis Act is often described as allowing property owners in rent-controlled jurisdictions to “go out of business.” It allows landlords the right to exit the residential rental market. In that respect, it commands public entities not to compel…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
How Does the Recent Amendment to the Ellis Act Affect Property Owners’ Re-Rental Rights in San Francisco?
October 17th, 2022
Contributor: Gael Bizel-Bizellot
On July 18, 2022, Section 37.9A of the San Francisco Administrative Code was amended to impose more restrictions on owners’ re-rental rights to a withdrawn unit. Background The Ellis Act (codified in Section 7060, et seq. of the California Governme…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
Is My San Francisco Residential Unit Eviction-Controlled?
October 3rd, 2022
Contributor: Mark B. Chernev
The San Francisco Rent Ordinance regulates rent and eviction controls for residential units which are not exempt from regulations. Jurisdiction over rent control and eviction control are not identical, but they often do overlap. However, just because…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
California’s Tenant Protection Act
August 24th, 2022
Contributor: Justin A. Goodman
Assembly Bill 1482 (“AB 1482”), otherwise known as the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, introduced the first of its kind, statewide, price limits and eviction protections of landlord/tenant law in California. The broad scope of the Act is not neces…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
In Defense of the Ellis Act
July 20th, 2022
Contributor: Scott A. Freedman
Being a landlord is tough. It begins with a seemingly reasonable exchange: the payment of a market rental rate in exchange for a commitment to provide habitable premises. However, with the majority of rental units now covered by some form of rent con…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
Understanding San Francisco’s Property Code Enforcement Process
June 27th, 2022
Many San Francisco property owners are rightfully concerned when City agencies contact them about potential violations at their property. The property code enforcement process is confusing, and many enforcement notices threaten monetary penalties (or…
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Why Are “Unlawful Detainers” Summary Proceedings?
May 23rd, 2022
Contributor: Justin A. Goodman
“Eviction” is a civil remedy to restore real property to a person with the actual right of possession. “Unlawful detainers” are a unique type of civil lawsuit, which take their name from a set of statutes – called the “unlawful detainer s…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues